Not sure where to go

13

Replies

  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 37,977 Community Helper
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/48671755#Comment_48671755

    That progress is so wonderful to hear: Congratulations!

  • avatiach
    avatiach Posts: 416 Member
    edited July 3

    This is great news! Glad your breathing is getting easier.
    Keep posting! (We want to know how it is going!)

  • rl2010
    rl2010 Posts: 76 Member

    well 45lbs was the lowest I could get. Stayed that way for a few weeks then I started coming off low carb and we went on vacation and ate all sorts of food. Since being off low carb I have regained 15 lbs in just over 3 weeks. I have tried to get back on low carb but just can’t get myself to do it.

    I am now trying to find foods that I will tolerate that will add up to 1500 calories a day and not leave be hungry all the time. This has been a challenge as again I will not eat plain chicken. Or chicken with a sprinkle of spices. Just can’t stand it. Can’t cook fish directly so that’s out.

    This is what I got. All of these are very small amounts and I am hungry 30 minutes after.

    Protein shakes. 160 calories

    Egg 77 calories

    A tuna fish packet with nothing. 77 calories

    Ground turkey (3 oz for a mini burger) 150 calories

    Plain shrimp 3 oz 86 calories

    Steak 3 oz 170 calories

    some veggies but from low carb I am tired of them, Broccoli, peppers, zucchini, spinach,


    Sick of plain salads as dressings are too high in calories.

    Not allot of variety.

    I have also thought to giving in and pay for Zepbound out of pocket $500 a month as my insurance will not cover this. But just like a low carb diet. It’s all or nothing forever.

  • rudyzenreviews
    rudyzenreviews Posts: 74 Member

    You have already taken the first step by speaking up. don’t stress. Small, steady changes can make a huge difference over time.

    Drink Unsweetened Tea instead of Sugar Drinks

  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 10,232 Member

    how long have you been back? Did you fly? Was it a long drive?

    I can easily put on 5-7 pounds of water weight from cabin pressure, following a long flight. We don’t do long drives but many people report water gains from long periods sitting in cars. Think how stiff you are when you get out to stretch!

    You probably ate out, and restaurant meals contain way more salt (or even MSG) than you or I would cook with at home

    In addition, there’s some…..”plumbing” backup when we go off plan for short periods, from rich or unfamiliar foods, or foods we just don’t eat any more.

    I’ve found that if I return to my original food and workout plan when i get home, the weight drops off pretty fast and I return to (new) normal weight relatively quickly.

    Depending on where you travel, don’t miss the opportunities to try new foods. I’ve developed a love for local farmers cheese and hope to add some to my repetoire when things settle down I’ve added raisins to tacos like I had in Central America I have hagel on my pancakes or ice cream almost every day since discovering it in Holland.

    I find it all kind of fascinating. I can look at my weight graph since maintenance began and clearly see the large spikes when I was traveling.


    if this is your first foray into travel since starting weight loss, chalk it up as a learning experience. My first few trips, I’d knock out thousands of extra calories a day.

    Now I’ve learned techniques to prevent going wild. I limit myself to one pastry (a particular travel weakness) most mornings. If I have to have two, I’ll get one as takeout and eat it as a snack later in the day, since I give myself freedom to ignore macros when traveling. Instead of huge fancy lunches and dinners, we might get a takeout salad and a chunk of cheese, or even just a baguette and cheese, for lunch and save calories up for dinner.


    I do estimate calories and log as best I can while I’m traveling, and if I’m a averaging, say 700 a day over, I remind myself that’s just a pound in a week, and instead of beating myself up, I take a deep breath and realize my clothes will still firing gain a pound and a pound is nothing to lose. And when am I going to have the opportunity to have quarkbällchen again anytime soon? They are worth the pound and it’s not like I’ll be gorging on them when I get home?

  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 10,232 Member

    you were doing really good trying new foods. Don’t make this self flagellation by eating the blandest stuff you can find to punish yourself for the transgression.

    And btw, I can have four ounces of top round London broil for 140 calories. In fact, I’ve set aside calories for half a pound, grilled, tomorrow night.

    Ditto pork loin at 140-160 for four ounces Season and amoke you up one, dice it, and you’ve got a sweet sweet lunch for the next week in a salad or wrap

    There’s lots of tasty cuts that are low cal.

    A lot of groceries don’t put calories on their meats. It makes me nuts because I have to default to the high end of what I see in the food search. Lidl does put it on every meat. All praise to them for that!!! Food Depot, a discount chain here which, oddly, still butchers their own very high quality meats, puts a label that says calories but deliberately cuts the darn thing off so you can’t see the entire label.

    I’d get all my meats from them if I knew what the heck the calorie counts were. 🤬

  • rl2010
    rl2010 Posts: 76 Member

    been back for a week. Clothes are tighter and some shirts I can’t fit in again. Feel like crap to be honest.

    I need to lose 100 lbs from my current weight to be not morbidly obese and hopefully be able to breathe and walk normal.

    The low carb was forced foods to eat like plain meats and vegetables. Some days I just did not eat. While I used to like green peppers. I don’t want them anymore. Buffalo chicken. Don’t want it. Even tomato sauce on breadcrumb free meatballs. Can’t eat it anymore. Need flavor that is not salt or like eating a spoonful of a spice.

    Your example of London broil of 140 calories. Add allot of sides like salad with dressing, rice/potatos and that is 700 calories. I was eating a piece of steak and plain broccoli and I just don’t want the bland flavors. Do similar and add snacks. That is 2500 calories a day easy.

    Even if I tried the GLP. Still need a proper diet and exercise that I don’t do.

    I think the only way to truly do this is to be brainwashed.

  • rl2010
    rl2010 Posts: 76 Member

    and another note my meals need to be one serving only. Wide will not eat much I eat. Kids are out or away at school. And I can’t stand leftovers. Leftover steak = Left over chicken. Dried out cardboard

  • rl2010
    rl2010 Posts: 76 Member

    sorry for ranting. Just having a bad day.

    I went through this exact thing 2 years ago where a lost similar weight and gained it all back and more.

    Just can’t seem to do this right and not live miserable.

  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 15,632 Member
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 15,632 Member

    MFPeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!

    This you can't edit your post thing is kittens!!!!!!

    If your only answer is that you only eat gourmet, my answer is that you can NOT have everything, all the time, at any quantity.

    You can have everything SOME of the time, or at some more limited quantity.

    The famous: I work well, fast and cheap—pick the two out of three you want.

  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 10,232 Member

    I’m puzzled why your food has to be so bland and leftovers are so unappealing.

    It might be worth checking into some basic cooking classes, or viewing some online tutorials.

    If nothing else, look up some recipes, even if you don’t plan to make them, and read the tips in the comments.

    mom never had the patience to teach me to cook, and don’t like anyone in her kitchen I was turned loose in the wild with zero cooking skills (probably just as well- turns out mom was a lousy cook.)

    The comments on Allrecipes.com are amazing. I’ve learned an incredible amount just reading them. Substitutions, alternate spices, season bring your steak to room temp before grilling, etc. one comment under a scones recipe suggested freezing the butter and shredding it instead of using a pastry cutter. It works!!!

    They also regularly suggest things like “best baked chicken” with great tips on how to bake a moist chicken breast.

    I never knew that cooking tomato sauce for hours sweetens it. I make big batches and freeze them. We can have delicious spaghetti on the table in the time it takes to boil the water (use your electric kettle- more energy efficient and faster than stovetop, then pour it in your pasta pot) and cook the pasta


    I’ve learned sooooo many great tips from recipe comments on that site

  • rl2010
    rl2010 Posts: 76 Member

    to me chicken with salt pepper and say basil. Tastes like basil on paper. same for pork chops. The texture and dryness turns me off. Put it a ziplock bag or Tupperware type container. The next day it’s a brick.

    Now put chicken in a sauce that disguises it ok. Sauces are loaded with calories or on a Cesar salad buried in dressing to hide the flavor of the chicken and lettuce. Lots of calories.

    Grilling a steak that day and eating it ok. Was told to stay off red meat so go figure. Reheating it the next then a rock.

    Pasta loaded with calories and probably largest enemy that got me here as I love it. Occasionally I have zucchini noodles - in restaurants they are good home a soggy mess.

    Maybe meal kits are the answer. I still have to cook them so not sure.

    I can cook/smoke bbq ribs, briskets all not good for a health diet.

    I looked at some sites for sample 1500 calories plans and while there are a few ideas if we’re cooked right. But allot of stuff I would not eat, suck as hummus, yogurt, cottage cheese, oatmeal, kale. Allot of times when I try to make the meal and I don’t like it then I end up eating other junk in the house.

    Also storing food for the week I don’t understand, lettuce does not last more than a few days so buying heads of lettuce to most go in the trash. Steak or ground beef for example after 2 days turns brown and changes the flavor that I don’t like.

    Have no idea what I would bring for lunch to work. Don’t have time or place to cook/prepare at the office. And the office buys lunch so we order out from delis/reatairants. I was having chicken Cesar salads almost every day . Can’t look at one now. Two pieces of whole wheat bread, a tuna fish in a packet and a piece of lettuce? I’ll be looking for something in an hour.


    Just thoughts

  • rl2010
    rl2010 Posts: 76 Member

    and yes I need to figure out how to make food not important and just some need to live. We do use it for pleasure, stress relief. After a long day working. I need to learn to find an another stress reliever rather then a good meal or drinking. I need to learn to take a small piece of chicken. Cook it, eat it and move on.

    And also make single serving meals is a must to learn. No one will eat what I eat so if I make more it’s all in the trash.

    We still use dining out as entertainment. Still can’t find a replacement for that. Besides tv in the evening what is there to do? I don’t exercise so going for walks is not happening with my back and breathing issues. Winter is coming so no more outdoor activities (beach/pool).

  • rl2010
    rl2010 Posts: 76 Member

    yes I want a healthier life. Yes I would like to weigh 180lbs. Yes I want to be able to do physical things like walking or traveling. Yes I would like to sleep normal. Yes I want to be not out of breath getting dressed or walking 20 ft. 45 lbs lost a month ago started to help but that is gone now and back to where I began as far as breathing and pain. I forced myself low carb for 5 months and lost 46 lbs. I have gained 15 back since stopping and while some could be water or other I feel like crap and have no drive to go back on it. This same exact thing happened 2 years ago after I lost 50 lbs and went on vacation and gained it all back and more with in a few months. I added weight lifting this time until I hurt my upper back so that went out the window. Tried the exercise bike. Lasted a few weeks. I see this as a failure of my attempt to try to do something right. Not saying I am totally giving up but I am desperately trying to find a way to change. 

    Viscous cycle of my life. 

    I still have to get other screenings done but there are times I feel what’s the point and rather not know if I am going to continue to have the current lifestyle/thought patterns. 

    Was going to relocate this year to a warm climate but that looks to be out the window. Family and work are here. Just another log on the shouldering dumpster fire.

  • rl2010
    rl2010 Posts: 76 Member

    so I need to find a substitute for eating for entertainment/stress relief. I do drink alcohol (dropped beer at least) a few times a week. I do not want drinking to become more of a need for feeling relaxed.

  • rl2010
    rl2010 Posts: 76 Member

    let me also add my typical day

    6:00 - 6:30. Get out of bed, shower

    7:00 - 8:30 commute to office some days 2 hours

    8:30- 5:30 work at desk (no lunch break. Eat at desk)

    5:30 - 7:00 commute home but some days will stop off with team from work for a few drinks then commute home for an hour. Traffic is bad.


    somedays we try to cook in house but allot we dine out as it’s convenient and tastes good and gives us and hour or two to relax. When we don’t eat out and try to make food that is either something not great as to start preparing at 7:30 and cook we don’t eat until late and forget the relaxation/social part. If I was able and added time to exercise that means dinner after 9 and that means crappy takeout instead of home cooking and eating at 10.

    When we cooked at home it’s various pasta and sauce (quickest to make) maybe hamburgers with buns( not the same without the bun) and fries, sausage and peppers, try to make chicken something (in balsamic vinegar, or salsa, or teriyaki Just dried out. Meat loaf once in a while with bread crumbs and adds calories. Hamburger helper (pasta - calories). Steak in rare occasion, pork chops random


    Don’t use the bbq grill as much during the week as it takes too long to get going (charcoal).


    After dinner sometimes we watch tv or I do. And some times it’s laying on bed until I fall asleep. Some nights I have a few cocktails by myself outside (gonna stop soon as cold weather is coming)

    Some weekends we are driving kids to sporting events. Dining out with friends.

  • Theoldguy1
    Theoldguy1 Posts: 10 Member
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/48671755#Comment_48671755

    Have you ever seen an ENT specialist or has your PCP examined you for a deviated septum, sinus issues, etc. May be a partial cause for your breathing issues.

  • rl2010
    rl2010 Posts: 76 Member

    Yes I do have a deviated aperum but not enough to cause the congestion, breathing out of breath issues. I have scarring in my lungs from something we are monitoring to make sure it’s not getting worse but the scarring that is there will never go away. Dr will not say this is the cause of breathing issues. I also have Sleep Apnea.

  • avatiach
    avatiach Posts: 416 Member
    edited August 25

    Hi! You were doing great and I think you can get back to it!

    Small changes really add up, so take or leave these suggestions, but just think of small changes.

    1. Think you are hungry? Drink a glass of water and wait 15 minutes. Are you still hungry? [If you are, eat an apple or have a protein bar.]

    2. Use greek yogurt to substitute for mayonnaise. It's a great replacement for mayo in a tuna salad, you can mix it with a bit of water and balsamic vinegar for a salad dressing…

    3. When you go out to a restaurant, instead of getting a beer or other alcohol, get a soda water with lime or a diet coke. (It makes me feel "fancy" and less deprived.) And tell the waiter, "I'm trying to watch my calories. Can you put the sauces on the side?" Or… substitute vegetables for the fries… Or get the hamburger without the bun…

    4. Don't eat lunch at your desk. Take the break, you deserve it. (You could go for a little walk, or just talk to a coworker, or read a magazine. Or savor your food.)

    5. Find a dietitian who can help you! My insurance pays for it, and the dietitian I have seen is both a cheerleader and a problem solver.

    6. Report back here every day. Bonus points if you can think of one good thing that happened that day. We can cheerlead too.

  • yakkystuff
    yakkystuff Posts: 1,889 Member

    Sorry for the relapse… happens… Reach for better.

    Don't fret forever, that will get here then. Deal with the choices for today, tomorrow. Sleep, rest, do more tomorrow..

    It's up to you. Do or don't...

    Want to stop overeating? Look for foods/recipes you might like and give them a go. Meal kits or actual heat and eat mels might be fun to check out…

    Just getting started again can be what's tough - thought @PAV8888 had a good idea - maybe go from overeating to maintenance calories for a bit… then go forward from there.

  • rl2010
    rl2010 Posts: 76 Member

    counting calories basically is the issue. Too much guess work if I am not weighing measuring everything myself.

    I have read a 3 oz piece of meat is the palm of you hand? Is that fingers to? 1/2 inch thick, q inch? If the meat is cut up prior to how do I guess if it’s 3 oz or 6?

    looking at meals that I possible would not be hungry 15 minutes later.

    Frozen hamburger from the store is 400 calories by itself Then add condiments and a side to at could be 800 calories.

    Example grilled chicken Cesar salad Can be 400-800 calories from a search.

    How do I know the vegetable calories and is anything was added like butter or similar?


    today I had sushi rolls for lunch. I looked at them and of if I did not eat the rice there is not much meats. These 2 rolls I am guessing are 350-400 calories each. I had a protein shake on the drive to wok at 160 calories. So now to find 5-600 calorie meal when I get home at 8:00 when nothing was prepared. Sounds like another takeout night - 1500-3000 calories.

  • rl2010
    rl2010 Posts: 76 Member

    How about frozen food? Take a frozen piece of chicken, put it in a frying pan with salt and pepper for 10 minutes? Same with pork chops or any seafood?

    There are frozen vegetables in a bag I guess I could microwave.

    I can’t prepare ahead. If I thaw a frozen piece of meat and don’t use it. Then it’s in the trash

  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,814 Member
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/48738442#Comment_48738442

    Why not? Why throw food away? Not trying to be mean because I hear the frustration in your posts. Maybe a little more info would help with suggestions from others.

    Can you batch cook on the weekends or put on a crockpot in the mornings?

    Your commute is tough and takes up a large portion of your day. Is there any way to change that? Different job or relocate? With a family I know that's a bit ask. Just trying to help.

  • rl2010
    rl2010 Posts: 76 Member

    I can not stand leftovers. Chicken is bland and dried out as it is. Reheating it just makes that worse. Reheating steak or port the same. Dried out. I also don’t like meat that has sat in the fridge for a few days. Never tastes good. So that requires frequent shopping for fresh meat or freezing it then back to cooking something fast from frozen. 

    pasta and sauce can be made and reheated but trying to get away from that unhealthy meal. 

    The job is the job until I retire which will never happen. 

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